


A Night of Romance, or Harry's Ruse

by musikurt



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-14
Updated: 2012-03-14
Packaged: 2017-11-03 06:03:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/378112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musikurt/pseuds/musikurt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When things go wrong in preparing a romantic dinner for Ginny, Harry hopes he can compensate with his gentlemanly wiles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Night of Romance, or Harry's Ruse

Harry tried to calm himself down. Ginny was almost home and he needed to try his best not to let on. If she found out what had happened, he wasn't sure who she would react.

Ginny owled Harry earlier in the day to let him know she would be working late. Hoping to surprise her, he decided to fix dinner and have it waiting when she walked in the door. Everything had gone rather well until, whilst setting the table, Harry knocked over the side table that held Ginny's fishbowl. Though his reflexes were in top form, he was not fast enough to save it from crashing to the floor. As he panicked and tried to scoop up Rex, Ginny's pet goldfish, the little guy slipped from his fingers and landed in the lit fireplace.

Looking at the clock, he knew he only had minutes to come up with a plan. He quickly reached Ron via Floo and convinced him to rush out and pick up a new fishbowl and the goldfish that as closely resembled Rex as he could possibly find. He made sure the Floo was open so Ron could sneak in and he moved the meal to the small table in the sitting room. He ran through his excuses in his head.

Hearing footsteps on the stoop, he rushed to the entry. He pulled open the door just as Ginny was reaching for the handle.

"Do come in, my lady," he said, trying to put the most sincere-looking smile possible on his face. "May I hang your coat?"

Ginny studied him for a moment before slipping her jacket off and handing it to him. "Well, aren't you just the perfect gentleman tonight?"

Harry nodded as he hung her jacket in the entry closet. "That's just the beginning, dear. If I might escort you into the other room?" He offered her his elbow and she hesitantly locked her arm around it. She couldn't help but smile as they turned into the sitting room and she saw the lit candles on the coffee table and the food surrounding them.

"This looks wonderful, Harry," she remarked as he she took a seat on the sofa. "But, if I might ask, why are we not dining in the DINING room?"

Harry pulled a chair over and sat across from her. "I thought this might be a bit more intimate. Would you rather we move?"

"Oh, no," she replied as she studied the table from end-to-end. "I actually think I quite enjoy the uniqueness of this."

Harry smiled a real smile as he motioned toward her plate, encouraging her to take her first bite. "I'm glad you appreciate it."

"Oh, I do," she said. "And this is delicious. Now that I know you can cook, I may come to expect this."

"I don't think I would mind that too much." Harry wanted to say that it had taken him far too long to put the meal together, but the longer he could keep Ginny smiling and engaged in conversation, the more time it would give Ron to deliver the new goldfish.

The two exchanged small talk as they ate. Ginny shared what she was working on at the Ministry and Harry discussed the various recipes he had considered for their romantic dinner. Just as they finished, he saw a flare outside the window. That was Ron's signal that all had been attended to.

Harry stood and gathered their plates. "Why don't you go upstairs, get changed, and relax? I'll take care of cleaning everything up."

"You never cease to remind me how lucky I am that I snagged you, Potter." Ginny chuckled as she stood and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She watched him disappear into the kitchen.

Harry put the dishes in the sink and charmed them to begin washing as he heard Ginny call his name.

"Harry?"

"Yes, Ginny, dear?"

"What happened to Rex?"

"What do you mean?" he asked as he met Ginny in the dining room. He froze as he saw the bowl on the side table. The fish was blue instead of orange and was swimming in a large soup bowl.

"I think you better explain..."

 

Curtis/Ravenclaw/23 points


End file.
